Dec 1, 2008 7:24 pm US/Eastern
Ben & Jerry's Unveils A Cleaner Greener Freezer
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Ben & Jerry's is testing new freezer technology right here in Boston that could take a bite out of global warming.
WBZ
Ben & Jerry's is starting a climate friendly freezer revolution. Here's why -- your refrigerator uses gases called HFCs to keep your food cold. HFCs are 3,000 times more efficient as greenhouse gases than carbon dioxide. When these HFCs leak, they help turn the heat up on our planet.
Now Ben & Jerry's is testing new freezer technology right here in Boston that could take a bite out of global warming.
Walk into the City Convenience store on the Boston Medical School campus and you can't miss the big lettering on the ice cream cabinet:
Cleaner Greener Freezer. "It looks the same as a regular freezer and it does the same job keeping the ice cream cold, but this is a climate friendly freezer," said Sean Greenwood, head of public relations for the Vermont based company.
Ben & Jerry's convinced the EPA to allow them to test this "new" freezer technology right here in Boston.
What makes it so different? These cleaner freezers use liquid propane as a substitute refrigerant -- propane has no carbon footprint -- it is environmentally friendly, but the EPA claims to be worried about safety. "Most everyone here in Boston has a grille sitting on the back deck with a 20 pound liquid propane canister with a sparker just two feet away. These things don't just spontaneously combust," stated Greenwood.
In fact, millions of these freezers are used in countries around the world with a superb safety record. "We plan to share the data we collect with the EPA to prove these greener freezers are safe," said Greenwood.
I communicated with the EPA and the Director of EPA's Stratospheric Protection Division, Drusilla Hufford, provided this official statement:
"EPA welcomes Ben & Jerry's application for review of this hydrocarbon refrigerant for commercial ice cream cabinets, which will be carefully considered both in terms of its safety and environmental attributes. Should EPA reach a favorable determination on this submittal, this could be part of the next important step in the market's transition to more environmentally friendly refrigerants."
Greenpeace is partnering with Ben & Jerry's on this environmentally friendly technology. The organization has already helped replace conventional freezers with these climate friendly versions in countries around the world.
In fact, representatives from Greenpeace are now in Poland at the
U.N. Climate Conference which got underway today. Thousands of participants from around the globe are meeting to discuss the next steps in the Kyoto Protocol which sets limits on greenhouse gas emissions. Freezer technology will be a "hot" topic of discussion.
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